Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens signed right-to-work legislation in February. It is scheduled to go into effect later this month. File photo by Tim Bommel Missouri House Communications

COLUMBIA, Mo. – The Kansas City Star is reporting today that dark money is “pouring” into a campaign to stop the grassroots movement from Missouri’s workers to repeal so-called right to work legislation.

The report specifically mentions that the dark money group “American Democracy Alliance” and the Governor’s dark money group called “A New Missouri, Inc.” are both funneling money into other organizations aimed at stopping the petition to repeal right to work.

Missouri Democratic Party Chair Stephen Webber added, “So-called right to work legislation puts a thumb on the scale in favor of billionaires and big corporations, so it’s unfortunately no surprise that Eric Greitens and his shady dark money backers are trying to undermine the grassroots movement to repeal it.”

Earlier this summer, Governor Eric Greitens bragged about his anti-worker agenda at a private retreat of millionaire and billionaire political donors in Colorado associated with the Koch Brothers.

Earlier this year, Republican officeholders in Jefferson City and Eric Greitens gutted rights for working Missourians and tilted the deck further in favor of big corporations by bringing so-call “Right to Work” into our state’s law. As these new rules will drastically hurt workers and their ability to support their families, the Missouri Democratic State Committee voted in April to officially endorse the grassroots effort aimed at putting the so called “Right to Work” law on a statewide ballot. The aim of our endorsement is to help give the power to veto this damaging (and poorly named) legislation directly to the people it impacts most.

First, here are three reasons why so-called “Right to Work” is bad economics for Missourians:

Shrinking Paychecks: Average workers in “Right to Work” states make $6,109 a year less than workers in states that protect workers.

Threatening Health & Safety: The rate of workplace deaths is 49% higher in states with “Right to Work,” and the number of people younger than 65 without health insurance is significantly higher.

Growing Poverty Rates: There is a 15.3% poverty rate in “Right to Work” states compared to 12.8% in other states.

Second, here’s a quick rundown of the petition and our endorsement:

To bring a veto of this legislation to the ballot box, the petition needs valid signatures from 5% of the total vote for the previous election for Governor from 6 of 8 of Missouri’s congressional districts. The deadline is August 28, 2017.

While we anticipate the Republican establishment in Jefferson City will do everything they can to stop it, there have been 26 of these types of referendums called since 1914 and 24 of those proposals succeeded.

With an already strong grassroots movement training volunteers and gathering signatures, our official endorsement means members of the Democratic State Committee will be helping out with signature trainings and we will be promoting the petition at official Party events.

And finally, here’s how you can get involved: To get involved text WORK to 235246 to receive updates from the National AFL-CIO or you can visit www.moaflcio.org.

Last Friday, the Republicans blatantly tried to intimidate one of their own to switch her vote on Right To Work (RTW).

For six years, Rep. Kathie Conway (104th House District) has steadfastly stood up to her party bosses and voted with the working people of her district by voting against Right To Work. Now, with the veto override session only days away there was a full page ad in the Post-Dispatch threatening Conway.

The ad all but called union leaders thugs and assumed Conway’s constituents weren’t intelligent enough to determine what is the real threat to their rights to bargain for a safer work place, wages, fringe benefits, and job security.

All Conway’s supporters need to ask themselves is this: Which situation is best for me? Do I want a work where my employer has dictatorial power over my life, or would I rather work where I know my employer will be held to fair and mutually agreed upon working conditions? Talk about a no brainer.

Conway isn’t the only one being threatened to desert their voters and side with those who are buying off Missouri’s legislature. The ad was placed by Americans For Prosperity which is simply a front for the employee hating, all I care about is me, Koch brothers.

The Koch brothers along with Missouri’s own “I want to be king”, Rex Sinquefield, have purchased power at the top of Missouri’s Republican legislature. Wentzville’s Rep. Bryan Spencer switched his vote from against RTW to supporting it when told by party leaders to fall in line. If he didn’t they threatened to find a primary opponent to run against him and fund that campaign with $200,000. The rumbling we hear coming from the east is Jefferson and Madison turning over in their graves.

The billionaire Koch brothers have promised to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to buy the next election and legislation which returns us to the days of the extreme robber barons. The Republican “Boss Hogs” know in order to keep their money trough full, they must break the backs of St. Charles Republican legislators. Along with Conway, Reps Hicks, Sommer, Cornejo, Korman and Zerr voted against the RTW. It’s time to pick up the phone and tell these people to support the average Joe’s, not the self –selected few who have become Republican party dictators. Tell them not to override the veto of HB116 staying true to their original votes.